Confession: The Greedy Me

During Solana‘s visit in Taiwan, we arrange a meetup with local participants/translators in Global Voices. Besides having some fun with GV Quiz provided by Portnoy, everyone is free to question anything about GV. Solana gives thorough answers, of course. During which, one volunteer dreamf complains, half jokingly, that it’s difficult to translate for GV, as I have translated so many posts. It takes a long while, he says, to find something not translated by me yet. I laugh out loud, in response.

After Solana gives a talk in my graduate school of translation and interpretation, one student asks me in the Q&A section. He says he is now working very hard for his own living and does not take any financial support from parents. He is so busy that cannot be able to work in projects like GV, and wonders how I do it. Not sure if he implies that I am idle, I laugh out loud, in response. (And I explain, of course.)

Recently I was interviewed by a newspaper journalist. She was interested in how I can keep translating for GV as a hobby for quite a period of time. “It’s a kind of enthusiasm,” I answers. “It’s just like how a journalist feels when he/she find a good story. He/She would want to tell the story to the audience as soon as possible. So would I, but in different languages.” I don’t know if it sounds good to her.

Since joining in GV, especially the translation project Lingua, I am asked over and over again, about why I want to do translation for it and why sometimes so many in a day. My answers range from enthusiasm, passion & interest.

They are all my true feelings, but here is another confession: I am impatient and greedy.

Solana suggests for the sustainable development, I should on purpose let others translate some posts. The truth is, I have tried, but I can’t. It’s killing when you read a good post from GV up for grab and not grab it yourself. The regret fills me when a post is taken by others, but the page stays blank for a week. “I should have waken up or turned on my laptop earlier,” I can’t help but thinking.

Sometimes I blame myself for not typing fast enough, either in English or in Chinese.

It’s greed that I want to translate in GV as many as possible. It’s greed that makes me anxious when seeing a translation work half done. It’s greed again, that I always want to keep myself busy.

For this, I am guilty. Please forgive me. If you don’t…. well, I am still that greedy no matter how you feel.

Now I see the job offer post by Ivan, GV Executive Director, my greed is working again.

GV is starting a new project for translation tools and exchange, so we need a new project manager. You can read all the job descriptions, information and contacts in the announcement, so I won’t duplicate the efforts.

For this, I have emailed a few people who I think may be interested. Please apply for it by sending your CV and Letter of Interest to editor AT globalvoicesonline DOT org. It’s a good job for many, and another dream job for me. As greedy as I am, if you don’t apply, I’ll do! 😛

5 responses to “Confession: The Greedy Me”

I think “enthusiastic” would be a better word than “greedy” 😉 Definitely apply for that position, it sounds right up your alley, and it will definetly be an exciting opportunity to try out new ideas in community translation.

Thanks so much for visiting my blog and the warm welcome! I have read so much about Taiwan during my stay in China but I never got the chance to visit. I always want to visit Taipei 101, the building that beat Malaysia’s Petronas Twin Towers for the coveted World’s Tallest Building title. =)

I am so excited to be part of a global network and making friends from all over the world and all of us at GV are pretty much on a mission to share our experience and issues that’s important in our respective country.

Will blog-hop here from time to time! Continue to do things that you do best!